History of Lancaster County, Pennsylvania : with biographical sketches of many of its pioneers and prominent men, Part 76

Author: Ellis, Franklin, 1828-1885; Evans, Samuel, 1823-1908, joint author
Publication date: 1883
Publisher: Philadelphia, Pa. : Everts & Peck
Number of Pages: 1320

USA > Pennsylvania > Lancaster County > History of Lancaster County, Pennsylvania : with biographical sketches of many of its pioneers and prominent men > Part 76

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The Dunkards have a meeting-house, and also the New Mennonites, services in both of which are largely attended by those living in the neighborhood. (See chapter on Mennonite Churches. )

The population of the place is estimated at four hundred and fifty.

Mechanicsville is situated on the road leading from Salungo, on the Lancaster and Harrisburg turupike, to New Holland, on the Lancaster and Churchtown. turnpike, about two miles west of Petersburg. The village contains a tavern, blacksmith-shop, and half a dozen houses. It has gone to decay, and is now a mere hamlet.

Midway is a village situated on the Columbia and Lancaster turnpike, midway between those places. It was started by John Doner, who owned the land and sold small tracts along the turnpike containing about an acre each. There are about a dozen two- story brick houses in the place. They are surrounded by large yards tilled with fruit-trees and flowers. The dwellings not only indicate comfort and ease within, but the entire surroundings display great taste on the part of the owners. There is a school-house and tobacco warehouse in the village.

John Doner, the founder of the place, was born in East Lampeter, Jan. 8, 1818. His ancestors came with the Mennonite pioneers when the county was organ- ized. He owns and resides upon the farm adjoining the village, it being the same land settled by the de- scendants of Francis Neff a hundred and fifty years ago. Mr. Doner was elected county commissioner in 1860, and served in that capacity during the most critical period of the war. He has held other honor- County Bank.

Locust Grove, a village situated on the Columbia and Lancaster turnpike and four miles west from the latter place. The first building in the place was erected by Dr. John Eberle's father, who built the tavern and a blacksmith-shop before the turnpike was built. Here Dr. Eberle first practiced medicine, being then a single man. Being the only son, he took the property at the appraisement, and after practicing medicine two or three years, sold the tav- ern to his brother-in-law, Gotlieb Sehner, who sold to Jacob Bletz, who sold to Mr. Hess, who kept the tavern for many years. Fifty years ago it was the scene of many a jollification.

The village is beautifully situated, and contains

Hotels .- There are two hotels in the place, the oldest being the brick 'hotel erected by Daniel Wolfe | about a dozen houses. They are large and comfort- before the town was laid out, at a point where a public | able, with ample grounds surrounding them. There

Ale Lang.

John Long.

John Glias' estate.

Michael Metzgar.

Aberman Fr. Saray biel

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WEST HEMPFIELD TOWNSHIP.

is a blacksmith-shop in the place, but the tavern has been converted into a private residence.

BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCH.

HERMAN W. GRAYBILL.

The great-grandfather of Herman W. emigrated from Germany at an early day, and settled in Lan- easter County. Among his sons was Daniel, born in the above county, a large landed proprietor in East lIempfield township, where he devoted .his time chiefly to agricultural employments. He married a Miss Hollinger, of Lancaster County, and had chil- dren : Daniel, Isaac, Joseph, Jacob, Benjamin, Mar- tha, Barbara, and Elizabeth. Daniel was born in 1816 in P'enn township, but during his childhood be- came a resident of East Hempfield, where the labors of a farmer engaged his energies until his recent re- moval to the village of Petersburg. He married Elizabeth, daughter of Dr. llerman Witmer, of Manor township, and had children : Martha (Mrs. Daniel Kreider), Herman W., Amos and Benjamin, residing in Kansas, and David.

Herman W. was born Sept. 15, 1842, and spent his early life at the home of his father. The village of Petersburg afforded him advantages of education, though of a limited character, after which his ener- gies were devoted to the interests of the farm until his twenty-second year. Mr. Graybill then began an extended tour of Western travel, wisely deciding that no advantages of education would afford him superior opportunities for instruction and observation. On his return, at the expiration of the second year, he became ticket- and freight-agent for the Reading and Columbia Railroad at Petersburg, and also embarked in the coal and lumber business. He was married in 1867 to Martha, daughter of Henry S. Landis. Mrs. Graybill having died in 1868, he was a second time married to Mrs. Kate Minnich, daughter of Jacob Swarr, who died in 1870. Mr. Graybill was married in 1872 to Miss Franees Augusta, daughter of John Bassler, of Petersburg. They have a daughter, Nora, and a son, John.

The political creed of Mr. Graybill has always been that of the Republican party. He is not actively in- terested in public affairs, but has been for many years a member of the county committee, and also school director of his township. He has been largely iden- tified with the growth and development of Peters- burg, and especially prominent in the erection of dwellings within its limits. lle is also interested in the cultivation of land owned by him in the imme- diate vicinity. The Graybill family formerly em- braeed the faith of the Dunkards, though the present generation are not followers of this belief.

CHAPTER LVIIL.

WEST HEMPFIELD TOWNSHIP.1

WEST MEMPFIELD is composed of the western half of the original township of Hempfield. " West" was only prefixed to the name when the township was divided. There was no necessity for this to distin- guish it from East Hempfield, and it ought to have been strieken from the official records long ago.

The history of the settlement along the river is an eventful one, not because of the number, but because of the ability many of them displayed and their prominence in public affairs. The ferry which eon- nected the great valley extending through the town- ship and York County to the Maryland line was the great thoroughfare over which the tide of emigration passed for many years, which was only interrupted by "Cresap's war" in 1735-38. The pioneer settlers at the ferry were all Quakers, but they stood their ground manfully.

Hempfield is bounded on the northwest by Big Chikis Creek, on the northeast by East Hempfield, on the southeast by Manor township, and on the west by the Susquehanna River. It contains an area of thir- teen thousand seven hundred acres, and is somewhat smaller than the eastern division of the township.

The rich limestone valley, extending from the river to its eastern boundary line, is one of the most fertile in the State. It is well watered, a stream flowing through nearly every farm. The land lying in the limestone valley upon the northeast side of Chestnut Hill is also very fertile and easily cultivated, but there are fewer streams of running water. In both of these valleys the dwelling-houses and barns are very large, which indicates prosperity and thrift.

Chikis Hill and Chestnut Hill are a continuous range of hills commencing at Chikis Rock at the mouth of Chikis Creek, and extending across the township in an eastern direction. This was surveyed and laid out for John, Thomas, and Richard Penn, and was named Hempfield Manor. It contained twenty-eight hundred and sixteen acres. It was no doubt intended for a game preserve. It was subdi- vided into about sixty tracts, and sold by the heirs of the Peuns after the Revolutionary war. No. 1 com- menced at Chikis Rock. No. 2, which joined below, was the largest tract, and contained two hundred and fifty acres. In it is now embraced the farm of S. S. Detweiler, Cunrod Swartz, Joshua Sourbeer, and the Kline heirs. The other tracts contained from three to fifty acres, The land in this manor was covered with a thick growth of chestunt and oak timber.

The Bethels, Barbers, Wrights, Sticklers, Garbers, Bachmans, 'and Kautfinans, who owned farms in the valley, purchased small tracts in this manor, which they did not inclose with fences, but retained for the

1 By Sammuel Evans, Koq.

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HISTORY OF LANCASTER COUNTY.

timber, which they cut into fence-rails and used upon

tons of iron, and is not yet exhausted. The presence their cultivated farms. There were a number, how- " of this valuable mineral is not a recent discovery, ever, of small farmers who purchased a few acres near although it has been utilized for a period of less than a spring or rivulet, of which there were many, and i half a century. cultivated an acre or two. They cared only to have So far as documentary evidence establishes the fact, Samuel Blunston, one of Penn's surveyors, who re- sided at Wright's Ferry, was the first person to men- tion the presence of iron here. In a letter written to his friend, John Taylor, in 1737, he makes the in- quiry, " If there is any land surveyed and returned on the Iron Hill on this side of young Andrew Her- shey's ?" The latter lived southwest from Salungo. In surveying land in this manor, Mr. Blunston doubt- less discovered that the accuracy of his compass was disturbed when in proximity to this ore, which came to the surface of the ground. a small patch for a garden, and land enough to raise a little grain to supply the family. Sometimes they had a cow, a few pigs. and sheep; which roamed at will over the hills picking up what they could through the day and returning at night. Their dwellings were built of logs, and the shelter provided for the stock was of the rudest character, and often consisted of poles placed in forked sticks which stood upright. Chestnut poles were thrown across the top of these, resting in their forks, upon which there was " thatched" straw or leaves gathered from the surrounding forest. The head of the family was usually a tradesman or William Bennet was at one time part owner of Martie " Furnace, which was built by Thomas and William Smith in 1752. He is said to have been a relative of the Grubbs, the great iron manufacturers. worked for the farmers in the valley. In the fall and winter they amused themselves by hunting for wild game, of which there was an abundance around them.

It was not an unusual circumstance to find a daugh- ter or wife-whose father or husband was away work- ing for others-in the wood- cutting down chestnut trees and splitting them into fence-rails. In these

unpretentious log cabins they lived contented and . covered the presence of iron ore upon the land of Col. happy. Within the memory of the present genera- tion these small farms have been cleared of timber, and the land brought to a high state of productive- ness, and now as much grain can be produced per acre upon this land as in the limestone valleys. Along the backbone of this manor now runs a road which affords one of the most delightful drives in the coun- try. The population is so dense that it forms what About 1850, John W. Clark, the then owner of this farm, more from curiosity than anything else, com- meneed to dig into the drift abandoned by Bennet. He came upon a deposit of iron ore, and mined from this one place more than thirty thousand dollars' worth, and thus the judgment of Bennet was vindi- cated long after his dercase. seems to be a conglomeration of half a dozen villages, the most pretentious of which is " Tronville," which came into existence about thirty years ago. Levi K. Myers established a store in the place, and from one or two houses the place grew to be a hamlet, and gradually attatved the proportions of a village. It was named by Myers "Ironville," which was sug- Bennet about the same time also purchased twenty aeres of ore land upon Chestnut Hill and an island containing forty aeres near the mouth of Codorus Creek, in York County, and ore lands near Codorus Creek. gested to his mind from the fact that there was a blast- furnace close by on the southwest, and upon the north- east side an immense bank of iron ore from which several million tons have been taken. The village itself was made up entirely of miners or employés at the furnace. Its prosperity ebbed and flowed with the fluctuations of the iron business. When the fur- nace was out of blast the place lost its vitality. The villagers were compelled by circumstances to give some attention to the cultivation of their lots, and they gradually began to grow tobacco, which brought them remunerative prices and afforded them a com- fortable living from its proceeds.

"There is one store in the place, and three taverns, one church, and a large brick school-house.

The village is scattered over a large space, and numbers about two hundred inhabitants.

Near the heart of this manor a deposit of hematite iron ore was found, which has produced millions of ;

After he was sold out by the sheriff, in 1769, he seems to have turned his attention to the discovery of iron ore, and he frequently leased ore property or purchased it. More than a hundred years ago he dis- Lowrey, near Marietta, and induced him and David Cook to go into the iron business. After Bennet had been digging for some time, Col. Lowrey and David Cook abandoned their idea of erecting a furnace, be- cause they thought they could not get sufficient ore. The drift Mr. Bennet made was abandoned, and thus remained undeveloped for more than seventy years.

He sold the ore bank on Chestnut Hill and his island to the Hon. John Wilkes Kitteree, then a member of Congress from this county, who had but little experi- ence in the iron business. He intended to erect a furnace at Codorus and carry on the manufacture of iron.

He became greatly embarrassed, and was compelled to sell his ore-bank on Chestnut Hill and his lands in York County, and after passing through the hands of two other parties in succession was purchased in a few years by the Grubb, and for more than eighty years this family have owned this valuable ore- bank, from which they have realized many thousand dollars.

The largest and principal ore-bank on Chestnut

877

WEST HEMPFIELD TOWNSHIP.

Hill was not discovered or developed until about the year 1835. (See Chesnut Hill Iron Ore Company.)

There is a tradition that more than a hundred years ago the precious metals were found in different places along Chestnut Ilill and within the limits of Hempfield Manor.

In the month of August, 1883, when an artesian well was being sunk upon the old Lockard property, now owned by the Columbia Water Company, a vein of rich silver ore was found. No effort has yet been made to develop the ore. There is a gleam of hope that the tradition may become a reality.

Early Settlers .- The first settlement was made by Seoteli-Irish-an overflow from Donegal-along Big Chikis, and by Mennonites who kept advancing up Little Conestoga and its western branches until they met the former, a few miles east of Chikis Creek. Robert Spear located on Big Chikis Creek, upon land now owned by Christian Hostetter and M. S. Musser. lle was a Scotch-Irish Presbyterian, and a member of Donegal Church. His grandson, Robert Spear, erected the large stone mansion upon the Mus- ser farm. He became a large landholder. He was appointed a justice of the peace by Governor Thomas MeKean about the year 1807, and was in commission more than forty years. He moved to Columbia in 1814 or 1815, and became a prominent citizen.

John Knisely settled on the north side of the Lan- easter and Marietta turnpike, about a mile east of | but no children. His sister, Grizel, married Hugh "Silver Spring," in 1718. He died in the year 1758, and left eleven children, viz. : Michael (who moved to Cocalico), Ann (Folwell), Mary (Mumma), An- thony, Jolin, Abraham, Maria (Beaver), Beverly (ITarnish ), Christian, Peter, and Joseph. Pedan, to whom he gave one hundred and thirty acres in Rapho, upon which he directed a mill to be built. Ilis sister, Ann, married - Patterson, by whom she had sons, Samuel, James, and Eleanor. Hle also had a sister who married James Moor, and another married to William Carr. Scott was a cap- tain in the French and Indian war of- 1755-60, and also in the Revolutionary war. He owned several hundred aeres of land on the east side of Big Chikis Creek, where the Lancaster and Mount Joy turnpike

James Moore settled on Big Chikis in 1720. He was a Scotch-Irish Presbyterian. He died in 1736, and left a wife, Elizabeth, who was a sister of Samuel and Josiah Scott, and son, Ephraim, who bought a farm adjoining Donegal Church glebe land.

Richard Mays settled near the Moores. He died | crosses it.

in 1742 and left a wife, Isabella, and sons, Joseph and Richard.

Christian Welty took out a patent for two hundred and sixty-seven aeres in 1746. Ilis land lay a mile " and also carried on a distillery. In both ventures, in northeast of the Lancaster and Marietta turnpike. He died in 1762, and left the following children : made money very rapidly. He was caught in the Daniel, Christian, Barbara (Lutz), John, Jacob, and Henry.

John Forry settled upon land between Samuel Blunston's and the Garbers', along the southern base of Chestnut ITill. He came to America from Rotter- dam, Oct. 16, 1727, in the same vessel which brought the Hiestands, Lipharts, Graybills, and other well- known Lancaster County settlers, He died in 1753,

At the time of Ilenry's decease his mother, who was then an aged person, was living with him. She was then the widow of Christian Myers, by whom she had two sons, Christian and Abraham.

The descendants of this family are numerous, amd are scattered over this and the adjoining counties. Many of them are large landholders. The late John Forry, Jr., who inherited the old homestead farm, two miles east from Columbia, and for a number of years a member of the Legislature, was a direct descendant of the old pioneer settler.

Josiah Scott, one of the early settlers, died in 1765, aged fifty-eight years, and left a wife, Mary, and the following children : Robert, Alexander, Ann (wife of Col. Bertram Galbraith, of whom an extended notice is given in Conoy township), Esther, and Jean.

Scott owned the land on the east side of Chikis Creek, near the crossing of the Lancaster and Mount Joy turnpike. A short time previous to his death he completed a large stone dwelling and office. He owned a large tract of land above Frankstown (near Hollidaysburg). He also owned a farm in Upper Paxton, which he bought from Thomas McKee, the Indian trader. He was a surveyor, and was one of the most prominent citizens and largest land-owners in the county.

Alexander Scott, brother of Josiah and Samuel, died in 1787, aged seventy years, leaving a wife, Sarah,

George Snyder erected, soon after the completion ¡of the Lancaster and Waterford turnpike, a very large brick hotel half a mile east of Chikis Creek, the early period of the war of 1812, he succeeded and whirlwind of town lots speculation and wrecked. In 1816 he owned a great many lots in Marietta, Maytown, Mount Joy, Bainbridge, Netfsville, West- phalia ( Wrightsville), Manchester (on the island below Conewago Falls), Franklin, Gainsburg, New Lebanon, and a large interest in the Lancaster Land Company in Warren County, Pa.

In 1816 his brother, John Snyder, who lived in and left a wife, Mary, and six children, viz. : John, f Pikeland township, Chester Co., purchased the farm, who inherited the obl homestead, which is owned by hotel, distillery, and town lots for twenty-one thou- some of his descendants; David; Daniel, who moved | sand dollars. Their descendants now reside in the to Big Chikis, where he erected a grist- and saw-mill ; State of Ohio. Jacob, Abraham, and Henry.

Samuel Boyd purchased the hotel and farm. It.

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HISTORY OF LANCASTER COUNTY.

was a great resort for the many teams passing over the turnpike, and it maintained its prestige until the completion of the Pennsylvania Canal and Columbia and Philadelphia and Lancaster and Portsmouth Rail- roads, which stopped the transportation of through freight from Philadelphia over the turnpikes to west- ern points. Turnpikes became unprofitable, and were not kept in good condition. A reaction came, and within twenty years their number has been largely increased, and they now yield handsome revenues.

Michael Brenneman married Kitty Snyder, a sister of George and daughter of Philip Snyder.

John Hantz also married Eliza, a daughter of Philip Snyder, and built the mill on Big Chikis Creek known as " Risser's mill." He had just com- pleted an elegant mansion, when it was destroyed by fire. He built another and larger one of briek. The stone in the first one he used to build a wall along the road leading to Newtown. It is one of the largest and most substantially built houses in Rapho township.

Simon Snyder, brother of George, married a Miss Sharer, daughter of Henry Sharer, who built the stone mill at Chikis Creek, half a mile west from Snyder's tavern. Philip Snyder was the ancestor of this family in the township.

John Pedan, brother of Capt. Hugh Pedan, settled upon his father's farm, on the east side of Big Chikis Creek, which is now owned by II. N. Eby. Ile died in 1775, and left a widow, Martha, and a daughter, Isabella. le left in his will the sunt of twenty pounds for the support of the minister of Donegal Church. John Pedan married Martha Wallace, who died in 1776. In her will she made a bequest to her brother, William Wallace, and to her cousins, Jane Ferguson and Esther Ferguson and Margaret Breden. She also gave seven pounds to Donegal meeting-house, and three pyunds to the school-house belonging to the meeting-house.

George Mumma was one of the pioneer settlers. He died in 1786, and left a wife, Barbara, and the following family : Christian, Elizabeth (Charles), Henry, David, Jacob, Magdalena (Strickler), Juli- ana (Mellinger), Maria, Barbara, and George.

James Moor settled near Big Chikis Creek in 1718, where he died in 1736, leaving a widow, Elizabeth, who was a Scott, and who died in 1745. They left one son, Ephraim, who settled upon the land near Donegal Church.

James Rhoddy erected a grist- and saw-mill on Chikis Creek, about two miles and a half from the river, in 17.20. Ile died in 1733, and left a wife, Mary, and the following children : William, James, to whom he gave his mill and homestead; Prudence, who married Joseph Work ; and Alexander, to whom he gave a farm on Conewago Creek, where he directed a mill to be built for him.

Jacob Strickler was one of the pioneer settlers in

this township, and purchased the farm adjoining Robert Barber on the east about the year 1740. He discovered that he had one of the most valuable beds of limestone rock in the county, and he commenced the business of burning lime. He was a very ener- getic and enterprising citizen, and was an officer in the Revolutionary army.

His son Jacob carried on the business of lime-burn- ing more extensively than his father. He leased the ferry of James Anderson, and kept the old ferry- house at Marietta before that place had an existence. He returned to the old mansion farm, where he erected a very large two-story stone dwelling eighty years ago, which is in excellent state of preservation. During the war of 1812 he raised a company of volun- teers and marched to Kennet Square, Chester Co., and thence to the " Head of Elk." He was a member of the Legislature several terms. His son Jacob was a very shrewd and enterprising business man, and be- eame one of the wealthiest in the county. He mar- ried the first time Miss Jeffries, and the second time Miss MeClung, daughter of Charles MeClung, of Lea- coek township.

He died about 1850, and left four daughters-MIrs. Ephraim Hershey, Mrs. Henry Breneman, Mrs. C. S. Kautlman, and Mrs. Bartram Schaeffer-and three sons,-Cyrus, Jacob, and Matthew. Of these chil- dren Cyrus is the only one living.

Mary Ditcher, wife of John Ditcher, took out a warrant for one hundred acres of land in Hempfield township on Oct. 24, 1734, where they had been set- tled for several years. She seems to have been a very singular person, and after her husband's death she wandered around through the woods elad in a sheep- skin dress, with an old horse, which carried not only herself, but her entire outfit of clothing and cooking utensils. She carried her knitting with her, and was very industrious with her needle. She remained in one place long enough to obtain a squatter's right to the land. She marked its boundaries upon the trees with her hatchet, and erected the rudest shelter, which was a sufficient improvement to warrant the loan commissioners in granting her a warrant of sur- vey, which she generally sold for a trifle. She seems to have had no fear of wild animals, and her only protector was a faithful dog, which accompanied her in her wanderings.

Dr. A. P. Garber was born upon his father's farm, two miles east from Columbia. He was sent to the common schools of the neighborhood, where he very early displayed a taste for botawy, as his father and grandfather did before him. He was sent to the State Normal School at Millersville, where he graduated with high honors. He also studied medicine, and graduated in that profession with high honors. Ilis tastes did not, however, incline in that direction, partly for the reason that he was in delicate health. ITe accepted a position as botanist in Lafayette College, Easton, Pa., and was also one of the most active meui-

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History of Lancaster County, Pennsylvania : with biographical sketches of many of its pioneers and prominent men, Part 76

Author: Ellis, Franklin, 1828-1885; Evans, Samuel, 1823-1908, joint author Publication date: 1883 Publisher: Philadelphia, Pa. : Everts & Peck Number of Pages: 1320

Author: Ellis, Franklin, 1828-1885; Evans, Samuel, 1823-1908, joint author
Publication date: 1883
Publisher: Philadelphia, Pa. : Everts & Peck
Number of Pages: 1320